Handbag construction



Sept. 16, 1958 G.G. RONA HANDBAG CONSTRUCTION Filed April 24, 195e FIG 1 gurlz/11111 INVENTOR GusTAv G. RONA. BY@

T ORNEY.

United AStates Patent O r'ce HANDBAG CONSTRUCTION Gustav G. Rona, New York, N. Y., assignor to Dora-Bel Handbags Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application April 24, 1956, Serial No. 580,236 3 Claims. (Cl. 15G-28) This invention relates to handbags and, more particularly, to the construction thereof.

Along with the increasing interest in clothing fashions, handbags have assumed a very important role in the accessories field. As such, there has been an increasing demand for handbags which not only serve a utility purpose but which also serve a decorative purpose. In this regard, attention has been directed to the shape and conguration of the handbag and also to the color schemes of the interior and exterior surfaces. Of course, where the amount of time and expense -of `materials for styling purposes increases, so does the cost of the nished product. An object of this invention, therefore, is to provide a handbag of novel construction that is of efficient arrangement and attractive appearance.

A further object of this invention is to provide a hand` `bag that contains a minimum number of parts and which may be eiciently and attractively assembled.

Another object of this invention vis to providenovel oor construction lfor'handbags that provides a plurality of -color combinations and which vis readily secured to the remaining elements of the handbag.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a handbag having few parts, each of which cooperates with the others to provide an attractive and sturdy handbag which is eiective for the purposes intended and which can be manufactured and olfered for sale at a reasonable cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connec- 4' tion with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of handbag made in accordance with this invention, with the cover in open position and parts broken away to show detail.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Fig. l, showing the interior construction of one form of this invention. v

Fig. 3 is a top elevational view of associated blanks used in connection with the floor construction of the handbag shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing another form of construction in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing a blank used in a modied oor construction of 'the handbag shown in Fig. 4.

Referring now to Figs. l to 3 of the drawing, a handbag made in accordance with this invention is shown to have an exterior shell that is made of a strip of material formed into an elliptical shape having the ends meeting along a line at the rear thereof. The upper edge of the shell may be provided with beading 12 and the lower edge thereof may be provided with similar lbeading 14. A one-piece closure construction 15 is adapted to overlie and close the top of the handbag and is secured thereto by means of a downwardly extending longitudinal strip 16 that is secured to the upper portion of the shell by any suitable means, such as rivets 17. A similarly 2,852,055 Patentedsept. 16, 1958 formed interior shell 19 is disposed within the exterior shell 10, as better shown in Fig. 2, and may have an upper beaded edge 20. The interior shell 19 is also formed from a longitudinal strip of material that `is formed into an elliptical shape in which `the ends of the strip meet along a line 22. A latch element 25 disposed on the outside of the handbag has a plurality of rivet elements .24 associated therewith, which extend through `the exterior and interior shells 10, 19, respectively, and which assist in holding the Arespective shells in proper relative position. A cooperating latch element 26 is carried by the closure 15and-is adapted operatively to engage with the latch 25 on lthe handbag to hold the closure in closed position. A pair of fastening elements, such as rivets 28, engage acarrying strap 30 at each end to secure it vto the handbag, asshown in Fig. 1, wherein the rivets 28 also serve to maintain the interior andexterior shells in assembled position.

Referring now to Fig. 3 of the drawing, a pair of blanks 37, 45, which cooperate to form a oor structure for the handbag are shown in disassembled position.

The supporting blank 37 has a central portion having a configuration `conforming to the lower margin of the outer shell Vv1l) and has a pair of tabs 38, 41, projecting laterally Voutwardly therefrom, which are adapted to be folded alo-ng a longitudinal crease line 42, 43, respectively, associated therewith. The supported floor blank is of similar contiguration as the central portion of .the supporting blank V37 `but has `a Vpair of recesses 46, 47, one of which is disposed along each longitudinal edge thereof. These recesses are of a dimension corresponding to the thickness of the tab :portions 33, 41, and are adapted to accommodate the said tabs when they are folded upwardly, .embracing thesupported floor portion disposed on top of the centrally disposed portion ofthe supporting blank 37.

ln assembling the loor with the handbag, the interior iloor 45 is placed in supporting engagement on top of the supporting blank 37 and the tabs 38, 41, are folded upwardly and inserted between the interior and the eX- terior shell portions, as shown in Fig. 2. In this manner, the oor is supported above the lower edge of the outer shell and the lower edge of the interior shell 19 engages the top surface of the blank 45, thereby producing a smooth mating joint as viewed from the interior of the handbag. Held in this position, a plurality of rivets di", Sti, or the like, are used 'to secure the respectiveouter shell, tabs, and interior shell in proper assembled position.

It will be recognized that any suitable materials may be used for the construction of this handbag. A variety of color schemes may be achieved, however, by choosing matching or contrasting colors for interior and exterior surfaces. In this regard, the .tloor structure 35 may be so arranged that the supporting blank 37 may have one color on the exterior facing surfaces and the supported door blank 45 may have the same or a different color than 'that used for the interior surface of the interior shell 19. As only one surface of each lloor blank 37, 45, is seen, it is necessary only to color or finish the respective visible surfaces thereof. Thus, a variety of color arrangements may be had at a minimum cost.

Referring now to Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawing, a modication of the present invention is shown, wherein a one-piece floor structure is provided. In order to provide suicient rigidity, this oor structure can be of substantially greater thickness than the material used for the floor structure 35, shown in Fig. 2, or a different ma- 'terial may be substituted. This lloor structure is also suitable for use with handbags of rectangular coniiguration that includesimilarly shaped outer and inner shells 52, S3, respectively. The door blank 57 has a tab 58,

59, 60, 61, projecting outwardly from each side thereof, each of which is adapted to be folded upwardly along an associated crease line 68, 69, 70, 71, associated,lre spectively, therewith. v In assembling this iloor structure, the tabs are folded upwardlyl and placed between the adjacent shells 52, 53, so that the lower edge of the inner shell 53 snugly engages the top surface of the oor. 57.

A plurality `of securing means, such as rivets 63, 64,

maybe placed in secure engagement with the outer shell, the tabs, andthe inner shell, so as to `hold these elements in proper assembled engagement. It will be recognized that the blank used for the oor construction 55 may be colored the same on both sides, in contrasting colors, or may have only one side colored, as desired, so as to produce a particular eiect.

It should be observed that the various forms of bag door may be used without the necessity of having an inner shell. The tabs 3S, 41 and 58, 59, 60, and 61 may be secured to a single, outer or inner shell of a bag, in any well known manner, as by riveting, glueing, stitching, etc. The location, of the floor within the handbag is not limited. It may be secured at any position or location intermediate the top and bottom edges of the handbag shell.

While this invention has been described with particular reference to the specific forms shown in the drawing, it is to be understood that such showing is for illustrative purposes onlyv and not to be construed as imparting limitations upon the invention, which is best dened by `the claims appended hereto.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A handbag comprising in combination, a body and a floor, said body comprising an outer shell, an inner shell of substantially the same configuration, said inner shell being disposed Within said outer shell, said oor being secured to said body and comprising an assembly of substantially the same `coniiguration as said body, said assembly having a plurality of tabs projecting therefrom and extending between said inner and said outer shells,

Y the lower edge of said inner shell being disposed in engagement with the upper surface of said oor assembly and said assembly being disposed above the lower edge of said outer shell, said door assembly comprising a supporting blank and a floor blank supported thereon, said tabs projecting from said supporting blank, and means securing said tabs to said body.

2. A handbag as set forth in claim l, wherein said supported door blank is of substantially the same configuration as said supporting blank, said lower edge of said inner shell overlying said supported iloor blank, said inner shell thereby locking said supported oor blank` against displacement relative thereto, said tabs being folded upwardly into embracing engagement with said supported floor blank and said supported floor blank being recessed along the edges thereof to accommodate said upwardly folded tabs.

3. A handbag comprising in combination a body and a floor, said floor comprising an assembly of substantially the same coniiguration as the transverse cross-section of said body, said assembly comprising a supporting blank and a oor blank supported thereon, the supporting blank having two opposed tabs projecting therefrom, means for securing said tabs to said body, said tabs being folded upwardly into embracing engagement with said supported blank, said supported blank having recesses adjacent to the edges thereof to accommodate said tabs and an interior shell overlying and securing said supported door blank in proper assembled relationship therewith.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,437,382 Czap Mar. 9, 1948 2,665,728 Hyman Jan. 12, 1954 2,680,460 Hyman June 8, 1954 2,694,427 Hovis Nov. l16, 1954 2,729,384 George et al. Jan. 3, 1956 2,735,607 Wasyluka Feb. 2l, 1956 

